Tank-vehicle safety mechanism



A. L. BETTS TANK VEHICLE SFETY MECHANISM R m wy.

2 Sheets-Shout. l

oct. 7p 1924. 510,582 j A. L. BETTS `TANK VEHICLE SAFETY MECHANISM Filed sept. 2o, l1923 2 sheets-snee; 2

E/Yag. 2.

iwal-rola Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES' 1.510.582 PATENT ol-il-lc-E.

ARTHUR L. BTTS," Ollv CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T' .6..UGUS'IlIl1II2r DAVIS, JB., 0F

COVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

. TANK-VEHICLE SAFETY Meenemen'.

Applicationled September 20, 1923. Serial No. 683,786.

6 and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Tank-Vehicle Safety Mechanism,

of which the following is a specification.

The invention has to do with tank vehicles, such as tank trucks for transporting 10 and dispensing oil, gasoline or like infiammable liquids. It has become customary to provide these tanks with spring-seated socalled emergency valves for closing the bottom outlets to the faucet piping, so that the discharge of liquid upon the street can be greatest degree o prevented in case of injury to the faucets or piping.l It is important that these emergency valves be kept in good working Y condition by fre uent operation, andthe safety is insured when the valves must be opened each time before liquid is drawn off and closed again after each dispensing or delivery of oil or gasoline. A known plan calls for an interfer ence or connection between an operating member of the valve mechanism and the door of the bucket-box at the rear end of the tank, so that the door can not be closed without the valve mechanism being closed. v

The driver would not ordinarily proceed without closing the door, and consequently with such a plan the valve mechanism will ordinarily be operated, but the operation' is not absolutely compulsory.

The present invention laims to provide even better security, this being accomplished by means of an interlock between the emer-.

gency valve mechanism .of the .tank and the emergency brake mechanism of the vehicle, whereby, particularly, the brake mechanism, having once been set, can notv be released as long as the 'valve mechanism is in the open condition. As is well known,- a driver practically instinctively applies his emergency brake upon'bringing his vehicle to rest, butl for entire security the intery lock is preferably sodesigned that in the lirst place the valve mechanism can notbe opened until the brake is set and thereafter the brake can not be released as long as the valve mechanism is open.

Two embodlments of fthe invention are shown and described as illustrative of numerous possible forms of the interlock.

In the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof: l

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation ofa tank vecle, lwith portions broken away, having t e invention appliedk thereto. Itis to be understood that in this view the valves are open and the brake is set.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged lan viewy ofparts at the forward end of t e tank. The condition is thel same as in Fig. 1, but in broken lines the control rod and its blade are shown in the normal position, that is to say when the valves are;f closed.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3, broken lines being used to show the psition of the part 25 when the brake is o Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view showing an alternative construction. The parts\ are shown inthe normal condition, that is to say thek conditionl in which they' valves are closed and the brakeis oil'. Dotted lines illustrate the .position of the part 2,50.when

the brake has been applied. A

Reference will firstv be had to Fi s. 1 to 3. The tank 1 of the tank vehice represented in thedrawings comprises a plurality of compartments 2, 2EL for different tending longitudinally over the top of thetank.` This form iof control rod is longitudinally. movable,l and its rear end is connected to a crank on the upper end of a vertical rock-shaft 10, which as a matter of convenience extends down into a bucketbox 11, where it has an operating handle 12.

Rearward movement of this handle will draw rearward on the control rod 9, and thereby i.

raise Ithe emergency valves 4, 4, unseating them against the actionA of their springs 5.

will be held open by a suitablecatch, such as a fixed bracket shoulder 13, against which a tail on the lever 12 can be caught in the L'lhe valves, when opened 'in this manner,

.manner disclosed in the application of Augustine Davis, Jr., and myself filed May 15, 1920, serial No. 381,575, but 'Such details may be i/hried. Upon disengaging the valve mechanism from such catch, the valveswill be closed by their springs.

5'llhe hand lever for operating the emergency or hand brake 14a for the vehicle wheels is indicated lat 14. y

This ,is suiicient representation of such brake mechanism ,since these matters are well understood and any suitable or known type of brake may be'employed. It will be understood that the brake lever is. pulled rearward to set or apply the brake, and that it is held by the usual ratchet segment and dog. Conversely, vforward movement of the brake lever permits release of 4the brake. 15 is a cable having two ends, leads or parts which are shownconnected to a poin-t 16 on thel brake lever, though the connection or k connections may be made equally with other parts of the brake mechanism. The two leads 15a, 15b of the cable p-ass about suitable pulleys 17, the number and position of which ma Abe varied, to a drum 18 on a shaft 19, which is journ-aled in suitable bearings 20, 21 on the tank or vehicle. rlhe leads are preferably fastened to the drum or wrapped around it one or mo-re times to insure the modate and permit the movement of a blade 24 secured to and forming part of the convtrol rod 9. Fixed to the shaft 19, between the bracket parts 22, is a part 25, preferably formed with a slot 26, adapted to align with the slots 23 in the brac (et or bearing.

The .relations are such t at, when the emergency valves are closed and vthe emergency brake is ofi', the blade 24 stands just forwardly of the part 25, the lparft25 then .preferably opposing a solid obstacle to the rearward movement of the blade, so that the" emergency valvescan not be opened until the brakegis set. When the brake is set,

the part 25 is turned to a position lwhich brings its slot 26 intol line with the blade and with slots 23 in 'the bracket. The valve mechanism m'ay nowbe operated to open thevalves, adwhile the valves-remain open the blade stands inthe slot 26, being braced by the slotted bracket portions 22. sequently asl long' 'as the valves stay open, the brake mechanism can not be operated to release the brake. When, however, the v`alve mechanism is operated -to cause closing of the valves, the blade 24 will be moved forward tothe original position, so. that the part 25 is free to' be turned laterally. rlheA brake may then be released and the vehicle may be driven away. llt is important to observe, therefore, 4that the brake having valves are held open.

Con-I been set and the valve mechanism having l been opened, the brake can not be released until lthe valve mechanism is again closed.

llt will be apparent that the form of the parts of the interlock may be widely varied, and that the connection between the 'part 25 of the interlock and the brake may be a pull connection, as shown, or of other kinds. ltV will be seen that there is a posi tive connection from the brake lever to the interlock through the lead 15 acting in respect to the brake-releasing movement of the `brake-mechanism. rllhere is also preferably rock-shaft "190, drum 180, and cable 150 correspond to the parts marked 25, 19, 18 and 15 in the other construction. 240 is a blade connected with fthe control rod or other part of the valve mechansm.l When theemergency brake of the vehicle is 0H and the valves are closed, the blade 240 is immediately opposed to the so-lid periphery of the part 250. When the brake is set the part 250v is automatically moved to bring its slot 260 into line with the blade. rlhe lcontrol rod can then be turned clockwise to unseatthe valves, and the blade will enter theA slot, where it remains as, long as the Consequently the brake can not be released until the valves are again closed.

Wha-t l claim as new is.

l. lin a tank`vehicle, the combination of brake mechanism for the vehicle, valve mechanism for the tank, and an interlock preventing'- release of the brake while the valve mechanism is in the open condition.

2. lin a tank vehicle, the combination ot brake mechanism for the vehicle, valve mechanism for the tank, and an interlock v between the valve mechanism and the brake mechanism for the. tank, and anfinterlochr l mechanism, comprising a partlactuatcd positively by the brake .mechanism when the latter is moved to release the brake, Where'v 5 by the Ibrake mechanism can not be released until the valve mechanism has been closed. 4. In a tank vehicle, the combination of bmke: mechanism for the vehicle, valve mechanism for the tank, and an interlock between the valve mechanism and the brake mechanism, comprising a part 'cooperative with `the valve mechanism andhaving'positive connection with the brake mechanism in respect to its operation in both directions. 4

ARTHUR L. 'BETTS 

